Michelle Tipper (GBR)
Winner of the Best Groom Award 2010

Freelance groom Michelle Tipper started her equestrian career as a Dressage rider in her native England but soon discovered she preferred grooming to competing. She worked for three years as a travelling groom for British Dressage champion Nicky Barrett and has since worked freelance for international and national riders, including Paralympians.

“I was overcome to have won the Best Groom Award. It is fantastic that grooms are being recognised internationally. To receive the award from the re-elected president was a great honour.”

Michelle Tipper (GBR)

Best Groom

Photo credit: Julia Rau

Angelika Trabert (GER)
Winner of the Against All Odds Award 2010

German Para-Dressage rider Angelika Trabert was born without legs and only three fingers on her right hand. She has represented Germany at four Paralympic Games and scooped the silver in Hong Kong. She has won some 15 medals at world, European and national equestrian championships and in 2010 competed in the Para-Equestrian World Championships Grade II at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™. Despite losing her long-time partner in a tragic accident in 2005, Angelika continues to make the best of her life and to help others by promoting the cause of sport for people with disabilities and teaching disabled children to ride. She has been elected Athletes’ Representative for the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (IPEC) four times and is a member of the DKThR, the German Curatorship for Therapeutic Riding (www.dkthr.de), which organises and takes care of Para-Equestrian sport. Angelika is an anaesthetist at Mainz University Hospital.

“The award recognises the effort and the achievement of my riding, which I hope can inspire others. I have to add that it is not all effort, because the horses have given me much more and influenced many aspects of my life.”

Angelika Trabert (GER)

Against All Odds

Photo credit: SharonPacker.com

Caroline Roffman (USA)
Winner of the Rising Star Award 2010

American Dressage rider Caroline Roffman is one of the brightest hopes of the US Dressage community. The 21-year-old, who trains with Olympian Lars Petersen, won the Five-Year-Old Championships at the USEF National Dressage Championships this year on a horse she trained herself and was the youngest competitor at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions at Gladstone.

“Being the recipient of the Rising Star award I am both honored and astounded. I am blessed to follow my dreams on a daily basis and to be rewarded for doing something I love is surreal. I believe that with recognition comes responsibility – I must be an ambassador to our sport, a faithful steward to the horses in my care and pay back the generosity of those who have helped me along the way – parents, coaches, vets colleagues and friends. My deepest appreciation goes to Princess Haya and the FEI, not only for this award, but for their stewardship of our sport.”

Caroline Roffman (USA)

HSBC
Rising Star

Photo credit: Ebony Horse Club

The Ebony Horse Club (GBR)
Winner of the Development Award 2010

Since 1996, the Ebony Horse Club has helped to improve the self-confidence and life skills of some of the most disadvantaged children and young people living in Brixton, south London, by giving them the opportunity to ride horses and take part in outdoor activities and educational visits. For years, riding lessons have take place at different equestrian centres around London but just a few months after winning the award, Ebony announced it had raised sufficient funds to build a community equestrian centre in the heart of Brixton that will offer many more youngsters the chance to enjoy the benefits of riding.

“Winning the Alltech Development Award is a great 15th birthday present for the Ebony Horse Club. It also marks the beginning of a new era.”

The Ebony Horse Club (GBR)

Alltech
Development

Photo credit: Kit Houghton/FEI

Edward Gal and Totilas (NED)
Winner of the Best Athlete Award 2010

Dutch Dressage rider Edward Gal and the extraordinary Totilas received the honours for their spectacular achievements in equestrian sport. After breaking world records in 2009, they won a historic three gold medals at the Kentucky-hosted Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2010.

“It’s so nice when you get an award like this – it’s like a crown on your work.”